Means for signaling or effecting operations by means of sound-vibrations.



LGARDNER. I v MEANS FOR SIGNALING 0B EFFEOTING OPERATIONS BY MEANS OF SOUND VIBBATIONS.

' APPLIOATION FILED MAY 4. 1907.

913,372. Patented Feb. 23, 1.9 9.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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6 (E702 aafd'ncr J. GARDNER. I MEANS FOR SIGNALING 0B. EFFEGTING OPERATIONS BY MEANS OF SOUND YIBBATIONS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 4. 1907.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fill/677157 V J57m Gardner mlncssels 7km W 0' LGARDNER.

MEANS FOR SIGNALING 0B- EFPEGTING OPERATIONS BY MEANS OF SOUND VIBB ATIONS.

' APPLIo-A'rmn FILED MAY 4.4901.

913,372. Patented Fb.2 3,1909.

3'BHEET8-SHBET 3.

Invent? .77i't'ness6s:- w

7071? gardnen UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN GARDNER, OF KNOTT END, NEAR FLEETWOOD, ENGLAND.

MIEANS FOB- SIGNALING OR EFFEGTING OPERATIONS BY VIBRATIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

MEANS on SOUND- Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Kp'plication filed May 4, 1907. Serial No. 371,805.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJOHN GARDNER, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland,

and a resident of Knott End, near Fleetwood, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented a new and useful Means for Signaling or Efiecting Operations by Means of Sound-Vibrations, of which the following is a specification.

These improvements relate to appliances for giving a signal or effecting the control of multiple apparatus at a receiving station as a consequence of the arrival at such receiving station of sound vibrations or waves conducted through water-from the transmitting or controlling station. Either directly or throughinterposed instruments such sound I against the influence of a spring, weight, or

the like that it is inoperative. Upon the arrival of the sound-vibrations for which a signal is to be given or which are to control an operation, and the consequent vibration or movement set upat the microphone contact, the circuit containing this contactopens or has its resistance increased so that less or no current flows through the electromagnetic device and its movable part is released and moves to close or otherwise affect a local electric circuit containing the instrument or apparatus to be affected or controlled. An electric circuit governed according to this invention is therefore normally closed, and as the contacts at which a variation of condition takes place are ordinarily touching each other, separating or partly se arating only on the arrival of sound an their consequent vibration thereby, the difficulty of adjusting moving contacts'o erated by minute vibrations is avoid-- T e result is that certainty of control ed. 'of a circuit is secured with an amplitude of contactmovement too small to be discerned with a powerful glass, while the contacts are tion of the'resonator. contacts may be attached to or be operated self-adjusting b gravity or spring. The vibrations whic operate the microphone contact are the sound vibrations which are set up in submarine sound signaling, and the devices which are hereinafter described are employed at a receiving station such as a ship or othervessel, although land receiving stations may be similarly equipped and 0p.

erated.

The microphone contact may itself directly receive and. be operated or vibrated by sounds upon the occurrence of which a signal is desired. Such signal maybe given upon the arrival of any sound-vibrations which are sufficient to vibrate themicrophone contact, but in order to prevent ,-inter-.

ference it is preferred to mount the microphone contacts u on a tuned box, air column, a tuned ree or other resonator which willonly respond and vibrate and throw the micro hone contacts into vibration u on the arriva of vibrations having a periodicity corresponding to .the natural period of vibra- Or the microphone by the diaphragm of a telephonic receiver which is itself in electric circuit with' a telephonic transmitter at the receiving station and by which all arriving sounds are received. The telephonic receiver may have an ordi. nary diaphragm so that the attached microphone contacts will be vibrated whenever any sounds of sufficient-am litu'de are received and transmitted by tie transmitter, but it is preferred to form it with a diaphragm or equivalent which is capable of eing tuned so as to respond only to a certain note or sound and not to be afl'ected by other sounds which reach the transmitter.

With the resonator or the tuned telephonic receiver it is only on the oocurrenceand arrival of the predetermined sound that the microphone contacts are. vibrated and the signal given.

The devices employed may be utilized. to

give a simple signal upon the arrival of sound to give a code signal upon the arrival of successive sounds; or to effect control ofa' multiplicity of operations in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

The microphone contact device is preferably so mounted upon felt or other equiva lent substance as to be isolated from vibrations set up in the station in which it isfixed.

The accompanying drawings, to which reference will be hereinafter made, illustrate how my improvements may be carried into eflect.

Figure 1 illustrates the application to a torpedo or the like of devices by which its operation, direction, and explosion or the like can be governed by sound from a distant station or ship. Fig. 2 shows a modification of the same arrangement. Fig. 3 illustrates a detail of the device by which the multiplicity of operations is directly eflected. Figs. 4 and 5 show in vertical section and in plan respectively a form of microphone contact device mounted upon a selective telephonic receiver or equivalent. Fig. 6 represents a modification of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 illustrates another arrangement of devices for governing or controlling a multiplicity of operations at the receiving station.

Referring to Fig. 1, A indicates a receiving telephonic transmitter which may be constructed and disposed Within or upon the shell of a vessel B in such a wayas to receive arriving sound vibrations and as is well understood in submarine sound signaling. This transmitter isin circuit with a source of current C and the primary of an induction coil D, the secondary of which is in circuit with an electro-magnetic device E which may be of the type of a telephonic receiver and over the magnets of which a tuned reed or ma netic strip F is placed. Such strip will on y vibrate adequately when the periodicity of the magnetic undulations i1nparted to the magnets in E by-the transmitter corresponds to the natural period of v bration of the strip.

The construction and arrangement of the electro-magnetic device is more clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The vibrating strip has connected .to it one electrode G of a microphonic contact, and upon this electrode rests the otherand ivoted electrode H, both preferably being 0 carbon and both being in circuit witha source of current J and a high resistance relay K, preferably polarized. This relay has two contact stops M, either of which may be placed, through the tongue N, in circuit wit the source of current 0 and one or other of the magnets of the disk and clutch device P, which is of the type fully described in the specification to my former British patent No. 20,496 of1904. Q is the movable art of the clutch and has attached to itan e ectric switch or the like R according to the osition of which various electro-magnetic S S are 0 erated. The method of operation of the isk and clutch is fully described in In said patent.

W on the transmitter is not receiving any sound or the sounds received by it have not the periodicity to operate the telephonic evices indicated at S, S,

trodes of the attached microphonic contacts maintain a constant closed circuit and the tongue N of the relay is held over by the constant current against the contact L, and the current from 0 passes through the magnet P on the clutch device, this magnet being thus energized and by its engagement with the rotating disk P holding the movable part 3 against the stop in the position indicated in Fig. 1. Should sounds arrive at the transmitter which are capable of vibrating the. strip F, the microphone contacts are vibrated and their resistance increased, and the pull of the hitherto operative magnet upon therelay tongue is relaxed, and the tongue is moved over to come into contact with the contact M against which it remains (being sufiiciently sluggish in its movements) as long as the/sound persists. While the tongue is over in its latter position the current is cut off from the magnet P in the clutch and is passed through the magnet P". As soon as thls magnet is energimd and e11- gages'with the disks P the i'novable part Q is moved in the direction'oi' the straight arrow and the extent oi its movement depends upon the length of time for which the circuit of the magnet P remains closed. as a consequence of the length of time for which the microphonic contacts are vibrated and the relay tongue remains in cont act xvii h .under the thrust of the movable part Q brings its end upon the plate T and closes the circuit contaimng the source of current U and the electro-magnetic device S, which is the motor for propelling the torpedo. A further movement of the movable part Q and the switch R brings the latter into contact witlrthe plate T and closes the circuit passin" through S, the pinpcller motor circuit still remains closed owing to the length of the plate T. Further movements of the movable part and the switch bring the latter succcssively upon plates T T, and successively close the circuits containing either S S, the propelling circuit remaining closed. The devices contained in S S S, may, for example, be respectively'f or operating the rudder to port, to starboard, and for ex )loding the charge. Any of the operations in S, S etc., may be directly performed by currents from the contacts T T etc., or indirectly through motors or relays.

The rate of succession and the resistance of the operative sounds arriving at the transmitter A determine the position of the 65 device, the strip F is at rest and the elecswitch. This movement of a movable part Q and the switch R towards or to the posi-.

tion shown in Fig. 1, the magnet P being cut out.

In the modificationshown in Fig. 2 the same switch It and its accessory devices are shown, as is also the disk and clutch apparatus P,'but the latter is now shown as operated directly from the microphonic contacts without the intervention of a relay, and the microphonic contacts are shown as being op-' erate directly by the arriving sound vibrations without a receiving transmitter and the electro-magnetic devices for operating them. The microphonic contact device, (one of the electrodes of which is shown at H) is mounted or disposed similarly to the transmitter A for the reception of sound. It is attached to or forms part of a resonator which may consist simply of a tuned reed or strip F by itself, or the tuned reedpr strip may be attached to or be in vibratory contact with a sounding board or air containing column or other resonator which may be tuned by having its capacity varied as desired. In any case the strip will only adequately vibrate upon the arrival of the desired sound. When the strip vibrates the resistance of the microphone contact circuit is increased. With the arrangement shown and with the microphone contacts at rest the current from 0 passes through the closed microphone contact circuit and through the magnet P of the clutch P, the other ma net of which, P is in this case a permanent y energized ma net. With the current flowing through P t is magnet is energized to an extent to overcome the pull of the permanent magnet P and magnet P by its superior engagement with the rotating disk P holds the movable part Q against a stop in the position shown in Fig. 2.

When the microphone contacts are vibrated owing to the arr1val of operative sounds, the resistance of the circuit is increased, the pull of the man et P is reduced until it falls below that o the permanent magnet P and the latter being now the stronger ushes the movable art in the direction of t 1e straight arrow. he movement of the movable part o crates the switch R as before. The extent 0 movement-of the movable part depends upon the persistence of the operative vibratin sounds received at F. v

t is obvious that the microphone contact circuit may containan other electro-maging or extinguishing a light, and that the relay and clutch when used ma be employed forgiving similar signals. It 1s also obvious, if the microphone contacts were mounted upon a strip, .diaphragm or the like which would vibrate in response to any sound orany range of sounds, that upon the occurrence of'any such sound having the requlslte amplitude the micro hone contacts would vibrate and the signa be given.

Fig. 3 shows an arrangement by which the magnets P and P may be moved laterally over the rotative disk P so as to vary the ratio of advance and return of the movable artQ. For thispurpose the movable part to which the ma nets are attached has its end slotted as at 1 and this slot may be placed so as to engage with any one of a series of pins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, fixed to the frame of the clutch. The movable part is capable of sliding longitudinally when lnen-gagement with any one pin. The effect of altering the movablepart is fully described in my said British Patent No. 20496 of 1904.

For effecting multiple control any slow moving part which is capable of being held in a constant inoperative position when the microphone contact circuit is closed, and which will slowly move when the resistance of the circuit increases may be used instead of the clutch P shown and described, it it fulfils the conditions of moving a distance (against or under a magnetic ull, weight, resistance, or equivalent) whic is proportionate to the time for which themicrophone contacts are vibrated, and such slow moving part may be included either directly in the microphone contact circuit or in a local 011- cuit operated from the microphonic contact device.

It is preferred in any case that only a very weak current be employed in the microphone contact circuit so as to avoid burning and other disturbance of contacts when the microphone contacts are not operated.

l.'-igs. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate. tuned telephonicvor equivalent devicesE which are placed in circuit with a sound recclvlng transmitter, and have microphone contacts disposed upon the selective strips. Such sclective telephonic receivers are not claimed herein per se, and the particular disposition and arrangement of tne microphonic contacts are not herein claimed, but are only described and illustrated as the best and most sensitive at present known to me. In Figs. 4 and 5 usual telephonic coils and magnets are indicated at 6, the former being in circuit with the receiving transmitter in the usual manner. 1* is the selective tunable magnetic strip or armature disposed closely above the magnet poles but so as to be capable of vibration, and capable of having its tension varied so that its pitch or natural period of vibration may be varied through the screw 7 and lever8. The magnets are mounted upon a stiii' spring 9 whose natural tendency is to rise. By means of the screw 10 which engages with one end of the spring the dislance between the magnet poles and the strip may be varied at will. The eleci'rmlcs (i and II of the microphonic device are in circuit as described with reference to l igs. 1 and 2. big. 6 shows a variation in form of a selective device operable from a transmitter, the variable tension strip F shown in the two preceding figures being replaced by a magnetic strip or reed F fixed at one end only. This strip has a natural period of vibration and may be replaced by a reed having any other pitch when it is desired to vary the responsivity of the instrument. The magnets shown in Fig. 6 maybe permanent magnets bearing coils as in a telephone receiver or they may be simple electro-magncts as may also the magnets in the instruments previously described.

As previously indicated the selective strip may be substituted by an ordinary diaphragm so that the microphone contacts are operated by any sound of suflicient intensity or amplitude arriving at the transmitter.

Fig. 7 indicates how a multiplicity of operations at the receiving station may be performed, or a variety of distinctive signals given without the slow moving part previousl described, by having a number of electric circuits each containing its own operating device, and each also containing a microphone (out act device which is operated by or in conjunction with a receiver or eq uivalcnt rcsonato r which is only responsive to one note. Any particular operating device is then thrown into action or signal given when its appropriate sound or note reaches its included microphone contact. The microphone contact may be arranged to directly receive the sounds, as already deor may be scribed with reference to Fig. .2,

. separately operated by separate transmitters as describedwith reference to Fig. 1. or one receiving transmitter may have all the different telephonic microphone vibrators in parallel circuit with it. In l' ig i 7 are three dill'ercnt microphone vibrators of the type shown in Fig. Leach being responsive to one note only, and which note is diil'ercnt to the notes to which its neighbors arercsponsive. Includedineachmicrophone vibrator circuit is a relay K or other device capable of effecting a desired signal or operation. Should the sound which is to operate any one microphone contact arrive, that microphone contact will vibrate and give a signal or effect an operation, even although other and obscuring or interfering sounds are simultaneously arriving. Thus by sending the proper operating sounds in the desired sequence or simultaneously.

from the sending station any desired operations or signals may be effected or given 'at the receiving station. Or the devices described will indicate What particular note or notes has or have been received.

Other electro-magnetic devices than those described may be included in the microphone contact circuit and be operated upon the reduction of current or increase of resistance in the microphone contact circuit as the microphone contacts vibrate to control a local circuit containing the signaling or other instrument, or other devices capable of having their conditions or state altered upon such reduction of current or increase of resistance may be included.

With the selective devices hereinbefore described the instruments may be adapted to pick up and respond to any desired or predetermined sound.

The sending station is e uipped as is usual in submarine sound signa ing, and has several sound emitting devices of different pitch when it is desired to separately influence different receiving instruments or stations at will.

With one signaling station capable of sending out various notes several receiving stations may be combined. When each such receiving station has a separate and different sound receiving instrument the one sending station may communicate with all of them at the same time without one receiver station being interfered with by the sounds destined for another receiving station.

For ordinary submarine sound signaling, as in connnunicating with a ship from a lighthouse or lightship, the above described appliances and method possesses 'reat advantages. After the signal has been given as by ringing a bell or blowing a Whistle or in other fashion, by an instrument included in a local circuit controlled from the microphonic circuit indicating that the vessel is within range of a sound generating station, the oliicer in charge, may then listen at an ordinary tclephonic recelver or ordinary receivers which may be permanently in circuit with the sound receiving transmitter or be switched into circuit when required, so that he can then ascertain the bearing of the sound generating station in the manner at present-usual in such submarine signaling. It is evident of course that the receiving transmitters may be arranged as desired and as is known for the purpose of assisting in this operation.

1. Sound signaling apparatus comprising in combination a sound receiving transmitter, a telephonic receiver in circuit therewith, a tuned diaphragm therefor, microphonic contacts upon andoperable by the said diaphragm and in a normally closed electric circuit, a device included in such circuit and having a movable part which moves when the contacts are vlbrated and inclosed in such local circuit and having a slowly moving part, a switch controlled by the current is consequently reduced, a local v such slowly moving part, and various l'ur;

electric circuit, and a signaling instrument contained in the local circuit, such local circuit being controlled by said movable part to aliect the signaling instrument upon and during the persistence of the microphonic vibrations, as herein set forth.

2. Sound signaling apparatus comprising in combination a sound receiving transmitter, a telephonic receiver in circuit therewith, a tunable diaphragm therefor, microphonic contacts upon and operable by said diaphragm and in a normally closed electric.

circuit, a device included in said circuit and having a movable part which moves when the contacts are vibrated and the current is consequently reduced, a local electric circuit, and a signaling instrument contained in said local circuit, such local circuit being controlled by the said r-iovable part to affect the signaling instrument upon and during the persistence of the microphonic ibrations, as .ierein set forth.

3. Sound signaling receiving apparatus for effecting multiple control at the receiving station, comprising in combination a sound receiving transmitter, a telephonic receiver in circuit therewith, microphonic cont-acts upon and operable by the receiver diaphragm and in a normally closed electric circuit, a device having a movable part which moves over and remains over in its moved osition to close a local electric circuit an en the microphonic contacts are vibrated and the current is consequently reduced, the said local circuit, an electro-magnetic device ther local circuits containing the apparatus to be operated and'controiled by the saidswitch, all as hercinbei'ore described.

l. Sound signaling apparatus for etl'ecting multiple control at the receiving station, comprising in combination a resonator, microphonic contacts mounted thereon and in a normally closed electric circuit, an

electro-magnetic clutch device also in the electric circuit and provided with a slowly movable part which is operated when the microphonic contacts are vibrated and the curren is consequently reduced, a switch controlled by said movable part, and various local electric circuits containing the mechanism to be operated and controlled by the said switch, as herein set forth.

5. Sound signaling receiving apparatus for effecting multiple control at the receiving station, comprising in combination two or more diflerently tuned resonators, microphonic contact 'delvices mount-ed upon such resonators and included in normally closed electric circuits, and devices included in such electric circuits and having movable parts to efi'ect the desired multiple controls, as herein set forth,

In witness whereof I have hereunto sol. my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN GARDNER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM- Gno. HEYS, J. OCoNNELL. 

